nwgs motorhome addiction and therapy thread

[djb_rh]

FWIW, the only "frame stretch" I meant was straight out the back. Keep the same wheelbase. No alignment issues there. Plus, moving the hitch behind the axle means you can more easily back the trailer *and* keeps the trailer from off-tracking so much, but very nice features. As a bonus, it also levers some weight off the front axle, which is usually also something you want to do with a Volvo since they are notoriously nose-heavy anyway, particularly if you add a drom box.

As for singling, yes, you must retain the rear axle even if you move it. The front has a power divider and you will encounter problems if you try to keep it instead. Also know that newer trucks can have serious problems with ABS and such if you remove parts that some dealers have shown no ability to fix, though it's always something you can fix. It's just annoying as heck. And as for the mileage gain, you can cite studies if you want, but I'm talking about real world numbers that folks on the rvnetwork.com HDT forum have posted. Most of those folks are full time RVers with little better to do than keep track of this kind of thing. :)

But if 65' is a limit you need to meet (and in CA if you're non-commercial, it pretty much is), things get tough. You're right, COE trucks are nearly impossible to find these days. I looked long and hard for an Argosy myself. They simply don't exist unless you get stupid-lucky. I do think a toy-hauler is your best option since it is going to give you convertible space when you're unloaded.

Also, another trick...some folks have built their 5er hitch on a hydraulic slider that can move as much as 4'. So let's say you're at 69', 4' or so of that is sitting there as "dead" space that you need to be able to turn the rig without the corners of your trailer hitting your drom box or whatever. But if you get pulled, you'll be sitting straight. Suck that trailer up against the cab. The LEO may or may not notice that you can't currently turn without tearing shit up. :) Most folks I know that have done this have done it because they have a Smart car loaded sideways, which they *could* unload if they got busted for being over-length and then suck the hitch in and they can still continue down the road at the shorter length (with an additional driver).

Powerhouse Coaches will even build a full 53' motorhome (yes, overlength in most of the country already) AND put an extending gooseneck hitch on it that will extend out the back something like 5' for people to pull horse trailers. You can only get away with that kind of crap out west (except CA), I gotta think. That dude has done some seriously crazy stuff, though, including hydraulically driven "landing gear" under your motorhome's rear wheels...extend them to pick up the rear and then you can DRIVE your rear sideways on hydraulic powered drive wheels. So you can parallel park it easily or get it to navigate around a tight corner in a campground or whatever. Insane stuff.

Anyway, just more fuel for the fire. I only threw out that *I* am sitting in a smaller rig just to prove I've sort of done it all. Your size needs are your own size needs. I do still have an HDT and a gooseneck car hauler that's got a full bathroom in it, too. I would have gotten here a LOT faster in that rig (since I wouldn't have slowed down up ANY hill), but wouldn't have been nearly as comfortable for the month I'm here.


--Donnie

[nwgs]

Originally Posted by PirateJohn

Michelins were very expensive. At least they were in Florida ;)

Cannot remember what we put on the Wanderlodge but I want to say it was a Finish brand. Kumho? Saved something like $125 per tire and never had any trouble.

If they have the correct weight rating (and if I were you I would double check what the mechanic puts on) I'd go with whatever is the cheapest. RV tires seldom wear out and you never hear the kind of handling debates with truck and RV tires that you hear with motorcycle tires.

Just as a data point I had a blowout in not-so-metro Crystal City, TX a few months ago while on the way to a job nearby. That was a semi- cluster fawk although I was able to get to the local truck stop, which had the town's tire dealer directly across the street, and my generator was working so I had air conditioning, food didn't spoil, etc. For the night.

I asked the manager why a dual that looked good and I knew had correct air pressure would blow at 55mph and he pointed out that my exhaust exited right in front of the rear tires. Hmmmm ...

I am VERY paranoid about front blow outs and that is another reason why I am looking at a truck/trailer combination going forward. Lots of stories there, and lots of deaths and seriously mangled motor homes. Overloaded front ends are a chronic motor home / RV issue and Wanderlodge, Neoplan, and Newell all faced recalls and lawsuits over deaths because of front end overloading and blowouts because their designs simply could not be used in the Real World and still stay in spec as far as the tire and suspension manufacturers are concerned.

You probably know this (some casual readers may not) but many motor home front tire specs are very high. My 40 ft. Wanderlodge called for 115psi in the fronts and they meant it.

I went back today and retrieved the mud flap, didn't realize it said
Hawkins Motor Coach on it so it was nice to get it back, cleared the rubber off the road.

The tire guy said exactly as you did, they age they don't wear out, I'm going with the Toyos at $440 a pop.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN..:willie

[Kubla]

got the 2 toyo's on the front of my 82 FC for 400 each, when I do the rears sometime in the future, will probably be something less expensive, would like to find some good takeoffs, but hard to find in 11R22.5

the way I am going, in 10 years the front tires will have less than 20k on them

there was a nice international 9670 COE for sale locally for about 6k, always liked those better than the freightliner cabovers, they had more headroom for tall fat drivers like me, and international's short shifter worked better and was placed in a better location than freightliner's

and the flat floor cabover that international started selling in 1996 was pretty neat, delivered a couple of them, completely flat with an M 11 cummins, 4 inch high hump with other engines

[Laconic]

Found while looking for something totally unrelated.

More here; http://www.winkarch.com/project.php?id=65

[PirateJohn]

Nice, homey interior. There was a restored 1940's trailer in Trailer Life a few months ago that had a similar interior. Not my style, but Ai wish that I had those wood working skills.

[PirateJohn]

Donnie, always good to shoot the breeze with you. Some interesting points.

I like that sliding 5th wheel idea. Big trucks often slide 'em and I guess that on some of those you could add track. Are people using those smaller RV 5th wheels to slide or are they using a Class 8 unit? If you can point me to a source I would be interested in taking a look.

I have wondered why so many folks mount their RV 5th wheels so far behind the drive axle. Thanks for the explanation.

I like the idea of a single drive axle but I guess the reality is that if I go with the full Monty setup that I would love to do (space for a 20 ft. ISO container or flat rack, 12.5 diesel generator built into the truck chassis, hydraulic pump for a system that AI found recently to load and unload containers) I may well be at a weight that would demand double axles anyway. History repeats - my company was one of the few that spec'd twin axles to move boats but every so often we would move a large sailboat and I preferred the margin for error to paying a fine. Of course, fuel was much cheaper 20 years ago ... ;)

And yes ... I have heard that Volvos are notoriously nose heavy. I have photos somewhere of a North American spec Volvo being used in Europe as a crane truck and that was converted to twin steer. A little overkill, but would make a super safe RV Toter if money was no object ;)

Decisions, decisions. There is a good chance that I will be coming into some $$$ in the next year or so but I need to do this on a budget so that I can pay for things from my current income and assets if things don't pan out. Ultimately this setup is to go exploring and I don't want to sit in the desert working for the next 15 years paying for a mobile residence and workshop and never get a chance to move it.

[djb_rh]

The commercial sliders are just air latched and you lock the trailer brakes and move the truck underneath them to force it to slide. That can be harder to do with RVs that don't have air brakes and such, so the ones I've seen have just been full hydraulic sliders. Each custom and different. Check out the Power House Coach website for pics of his (his website sucks, so be warned, but there are tons of pics there). Otherwise, surf the HDT forum on rvnetwork.com and do some searching (or post and ask)...there's only been a handful done, but they are out there.

As for the twin steerer, Volvo and I think several other euro companies make them now. There's a Youtube video of I think Volvo having the highest HP/torque/everything commercially produced truck. Pretty sure it was twin steer.

Oh, and to answer your question, almost nobody is using the Class 8 hitch. They don't articulate side to side and don't have any cushion. People who have tried it have literally ripped entire pin boxes from their trailers. You either want a TrailerSaver hitch or you go with the best, the ET Hitch. That thing is THE BOMB. The designer of it is the guy who designed my sideways rollback, too.


--Donnie

[PirateJohn]

I have heard stories of the authorities refusing to license a HDT as an RV as long as you still have that commercial hitch. That, and like you said - the trailer gets pounded without a proper cushioned setup.

Thanks!

[PirateJohn]

Donnie, just for grins. You are understandably critical of the medium duty trucks. I need to dig out some stats on the FE-7's that were sold here but my recollection is that they had medium sized CAT engines in them (and I would think they would get at least comparable mileage to RV's using the same engine) but didn't have air suspension. My recollection is that they were built to a heavier specification sometime-sized trucks. There was also an FE-6 and an FE-42 offered so that would seem to bear that out.

Wonder if there are any larger than medium trucks out there that are comfortable, have mid-sized CAT engines (3116, 3126, and C7 off the top of my head), and can be had relatively expensively? Hino or big Isuzu perhaps?

[nwgs]

Originally Posted by Laconic

Found while looking for something totally unrelated.

More here; http://www.winkarch.com/project.php?id=65

Just Beautiful!

[McNeal]

Mercedes makes a nice cab over that's not available in the USA, but Mercedes has dealers in Canada. Are there legal reasons preventing those trucks from being brought into the USA or is a cost issue?

[Laconic]

Originally Posted by nwgs

Just Beautiful!

I know; weird, the stuff you stumble upon when you least expect it.

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by McNeal

Mercedes makes a nice cab over that's not available in the USA, but Mercedes has dealers in Canada. Are there legal reasons preventing those trucks from being brought into the USA or is a cost issue?

I will have to research. The Canadian military ordered a batch of 8x8 armored and unarmored Actros but yeah ... To say that cost isn't an issue would be to lie ;)

Years ago I saw a really neat small Canadian military truck (in Florida no less - I think they were sneaking over to the drag races in Ocala) and discovered that Western Star had imported a batch of Iveco's for the Canadian Army. Got in touch with an English speaking gent with Iveco in Italy who told me that military vehicle sales were secret, but he gave me enough hints to figure out what it was.

Long story short, I would be interested in hearing but I suspect that it's beyond my budget.

On the other hand one of the reasons that I am curious about the smaller Volvos is that they were still being sold until not too long down there. I remember seeing a new one at the dealer in Nuevo Laredo not too many years ago. I am less than 100 miles from the Mexican border and could see updating a mid-sized Volvo chassis if I got lucky.

Thanks!

[Patrick46]

Originally Posted by nwgs

I'm going with the Toyos at $440 a pop.

I know this is easy for me to say as your not spending MY money...


but you've got duallys out back, and singles on the steering axle. If you have a blowout on the rear end, there's still another tire back there to support the load...not so on the front end. I've always put the best tires I kin find on my steering axles...(and I've had GREAT LUCK with those Toyo's btw).



also...NateDog is on this here thread...isn't he???
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=594288



Gad....what more could ya possibly need???

[Patrick46]

Now this is MY style...........





http://www.stuffibuilt.ca/StuffIBuil...en_Carter.html